Mossberg: Microsoft outclasses Apple\'s Mighty Mouse

updated 09:50 am EDT, Tue August 9, 2005

by MacNN Staff

MS beats Apple design

Technology guru Walt Mossberg says that Apple's , Mossberg says that the Mighty Mouse faces clashing design ideals that make it harder to use than competing products: "But in a stubborn homage to the old dogma, Apple designed the Mighty Mouse so it looks like, and can work like, a one-button mouse.... Microsoft's new model is cordless, like most modern, premium mice. Apple's Mighty Mouse is tethered to the computer with a cord, like most low-end models." The review criticizes Apple's implementation of the dual-click system using a single-button mouse: "I found that the design makes right-clicking slower and clumsier than on a typical Microsoft or Logitech mouse with real buttons.... I found that right-clicking with the Mighty Mouse was unpredictable. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. We needed to press the right side repeatedly to get a single right click, slowing us down and annoying us, well, mightily."

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Wireless does not make a mouse premium. Why is the industry going to all wireless, why do I need a battery for my mouse? Why do I need my mouse to be wireless? I'm not going to take my mouse across the room to control my computer. Why add the hassle of a battery and added costs to mice? This does not now or ever will make any sense to me. Of course I do agree that the Microsoft wired Intellimouse is the best mouse I've ever used. I've not used the new Apple mouse yet however.

my mouse seems to be able to stay on the mouse pad pretty well, that's about the only area i'm concerned with and the wire never gets in the way. i could see wireless maybe for a laptop but then most people don't use mice with a laptop. don't know about the ms mouse since i'm ms free.

speaking as someone who just had to replace the batteries in his keyboard because it started losing keystrokes, wireless isn't all that great. however, here's the one thing that will likely prevent me from buying the mighty mouse - apparently, it won't let you activate multiple buttons at once. usually that wouldn't be such a big deal, BUT i would want to click on a document, click down on the mouse ball to bring up expose while still holding down the mouse button, and then drop on the appropriate window. strangely, the mighty mouse doesn't allow for this, even though you think it would be geared especially for such a task. bizarre.

The bit about premium mice being cordless is, of course, nonsense.
I bought a MightyMouse for my girlfriend and haven't used it much myself. From the first couple of minutes though I can say that you will get used to the right clicking quickly, but the side buttons are hard to press. They aren't at an easy to reach position and you can't really tell whether your finger is pressing the button or just a part of the body.

I have to agree though, there are better mice out there than Apple's latest. "Function follows form" isn't the right way to go for a tool that rests in your hand countless hours each day.

I got the chance to play with the mighty mouse at my local Apple store and I'm sorry to say I wasn't all that impressed. I spend a lot of my (and my company's) money on Apple equipment because I think it does something better than the competition. I couldn't make it right-click without lifting up my left finger first, I had to reposition my hand to squeeze the middle buttons, and the tiny ball on top seemed too small to get a good tactile response.

I just don't know what this mouse does better than other mice in its price class - or, in that case, lower price classes too.

I found this review a bit odd in that Mossberg contradicts many things I have read about this mouse so far. The right click and scroll wheel were great features but the side squeeze buttons were not so great in many other reviews. But Mossberg seems to say the opposite.

I have not used a mouse in years. I like my $19 logitech optical track ball. I don't need any "extra" space on my desk to move the mouse around and my wrist doesn't hurt. Why does anyone use a mouse anymore? The whole argument about who is building a better "Mouse" is nonsense. Use what you like and what works.

I felt that if Apple finally withdrew and made a two-button mouse, they'd do it right; so I bought one. It's fine for anyone who has been using the old one-button mouse, but I hate the right-click function (unpredictable, unless you concentrate on picking up your index finger and moving your middle finger to the far right side). The scroll ball is too small, too far toward the back of the mouse, and doesn't have accurate scrolling (also somewhat unpredictable, especially in some applications like iTunes, and only moves at 90 degree angles). I love the way the scroll ball depresses slightly to emulate a middle-click, though, so I can bring up the application switcher and change programs in one click. To click the side buttons (there are two buttons but they can't act independently) you have to really grip the whole mouse and squeeze. Shape of the mouse is not ergonomic. Overall rating: 3/10

I hate to rate a new Apple product so poorly, but I expected more after all these years. Apple's now confirming their track record of bad mouse design into the history books. What I'd like is two options at order time: grandma-style and professional. I don't give a c*** about wireless, except when you're right-handed and the extremely short cord doesn't reach around to the USB port on the left side of an iBook.

How dare apple release a product that isn't the top of its class in capabilities and usability! We didn't want Apple to just release a two-button mouse, it had to be the kick-a** bestest mouse ever made.

And then Apple gives us this. Geesh. Guess if you're looking for a multi-button mouse, you're going to have to go out and get a third-party multi-button mouse. Hey, just like you had to up until this point anyway!

The whole point of reviewing a product is to point out its flaws and qualities over the competition. What's this c*** about people expecting only kick-a** bestest products from Apple ? Can't people give their own opinion anymore on products, whatever company they're from ?

The whole point of reviewing a product is to point out its flaws and qualities over the competition. What's this c*** about people expecting only kick-a** bestest products from Apple ? Can't people give their own opinion anymore on products, whatever company they're from ?

Yeah, except most of the posts here are "Well, its not that great, my other mouse is better, i expected more, etc, etc, etc", which is just whining that Apple's mouse isn't better then the competition, which implies (to me, at least) that these people had impressions that somehow an apple mouse would make people want to throw all their other mice out the window.

Why would anyone who is intelligent enough to use OS X, use a mouse? I've been using Kensington Trackballs for over a decade now and cringed the hand full of times I had to use a mouse. Stupid idea in the first place. Then again, how did Bush get re-elected? Inertia and stupidity rule the human race.

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